


Cuba

by kingsmanstories



Series: Gretel [2]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 19:50:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingsmanstories/pseuds/kingsmanstories
Summary: A week after Erik returns from Cuba, his teenage daughter asks him the very question he’s been dreading to answer.





	Cuba

**Author's Note:**

> German - English translations!
> 
> Liebling - Darling  
> Geht es ihm gut - is he alright  
> Süßes Mädchen - sweet girl  
> Ich liebe dich - I love you  
> Ich liebe dich auch - I love you too  
> Natürlich, Schatz - Of course, honey

“Papa?”

“Ja, Liebling?”

“Why can’t we see Charles anymore?”

This was the inevitable question Erik had been _dreading_ since he’d returned home from Cuba nearly a week ago. In that week, he’d been going over and over in his head how he was going to tell you when you eventually asked, and he never found a good way to tell you.

You’d grown up with Charles around you in the last sixteen years of your life, like an uncle figure, and his absence in the last week would’ve rang alarm bells in your mind, undoubtedly.

Erik sighed, running his fingers through his hair before gently taking your hand and leading you over to the sofa, sitting down beside you, hand still holding onto yours. He opened his mouth to speak, but you beat him to it.

“Geht es ihm gut, Papa?” You asked, eyes filled with concern and panic, searching your fathers face for answers, anything to put you at ease.

He squeezed your hand softly, before nodding. “He’s fine, Liebling.” Staying silent for a moment, he searched for the right words. “When we were in Cuba, a man named Sebastian Shaw attempted to start a nuclear war.” He started, deciding it would be best he gave you a few moments between information to process it. You were nearly a grown woman, he knew, but you were still his baby, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt your feelings.

“A nuclear war? But why?” Your eyes grew wide, and he continued speaking before you could overthink. The word _war_ alone made you feel panic.

“To establish mutant supremacy, to eventually wipe out non-mutants.” Erik continued, swallowing thickly before getting to the next part. “Charles and his X-Men stopped Sebastian before he could start the war.”

He gave you another moment, and watched as your brows knitted in confusion, eventually looking up at him with teary eyes. “Charles didn’t stick up for us? Us Mutants?”

Erik nodded, letting go of your hand to wipe a stray tear from your cheek with his thumb. “Unfortunately, he did not, Liebling.”

Whilst he was breaking the news to you, it was dawning onto him even more and hitting home like it hadn’t before. He’d always brought you up to be _proud_ of your mutation, that happened to be like his, and never let anyone make you feel like less of a person because of it.

“What are you going to do now, Papa?” You asked tearily, holding onto his hoodie as he brought you into his arms, resting his head atop of yours. You’d miss Charles dearly, you knew it would take a long while before you truly got used to never seeing him again.

“I’m still going to keep fighting. Fighting for a better future for mutants, for you, mein süßes Mädchen.” Erik said softly, tucking a stray hair behind your ear as he spoke.

“I want to help you.” You whispered between a small sob, “I’m going to miss him though, Papa.”

“I’m going to miss him too, we both will for a long time. It’ll get easier though, I promise.” He whispered. “You can help me when you’re a little bit older, once we’ve got your mutation down to perfection.” Sixteen was far too young in his eyes to get caught up in the dangerous world he seemed to have gotten himself caught up in, he wouldn’t forgive himself if something happened to you, ever. “Ich liebe dich, Liebling.”

Nodding in agreement to his statement, you pulled away from his embrace to wipe at your eyes, giving him a watery smile in response. “Ich liebe dich auch, Papa.”

“Get your shoes on, we’ll go for a walk. They always make you feel better, ja?” Erik gave you a smile as he stood, heading over to the door to pull on his own shoes and lace them up.

“Ja.” You responded, slipping on your trainers and pulling on a cardigan, following your father as he led you out of the front door and onto the pavement, fresh air filling your lungs, making you sigh happily. “Papa?”

“Ja, Liebling?”

“Can we go to that place you took me the other day, the one that did the milkshakes?”

Chucking softly, Erik nodded. “Natürlich, Schatz.”


End file.
